a sandwich is a sandwich

Dagwood (does he have a last name?) is without any doubt the most famous sandwich maker/eater in history. His fantasy had no limits, or I should rather say, the limits were the content of Blondy’s refrigerator. The comic strip “Blondie” was featured in a Sunday Greek paper when I was a kid, and these sandwiches have always been an inspiration. When mom was away, my sister and I always made unconventional sandwiches and we called them “the happenings”

The anatomy of Dagwood’s sandwich

A favorite sandwich when I was little was made with a small bread in the shape of a loaf topped with sesame seeds. This bread called ” simitaki ” in Greek was cut in half lengthwise and filled up with mortadella and ” kefalotyri” cheese. In other instances we were using a small dark chocolate bar to make a sandwich. If you have never tried this french style sweet sandwich try it. Use a hard roll with sesame seeds.

The flat sandwich above is flattened by toasting it and resembles a panini. It looks like a toasted sub. In my adolescent years this big toasted flat sandwich was very popular. My friends and I called it ” pantofla ” which means slipper. A sandwich shop right across my school was making terrific pantoflas with your choice filling. Mine had cheese tomatoes and eggs and after toasting it the guy was re-opening it and was adding Russian Salad.

A classic pannini sandwich is made with slices of special large Tuscan bread loaves and is loaded with Italian goodies such as Sopressata, Mortadella, Salami, Capicola, Provolone, and anything else that you can pronounce imitating the voice of Sophia Loren. In any case, what do you think she grew up with, and turned out gorgeous. Definitely not peanut butter and jelly!

The grilled cheese sandwich is the favorite of all American children. We made it very ofter when my kids were little. Of course the favorite cheese here is the classic yellow American cheese and the bread had to be Wonder Bread. Anything else more gourmet such as provolone cheese, and you were getting the angry look!

The tuna sandwich is another all American favorite. Best tasting on whole wheat bread, this sandwich is a whole meal by itself. The protein, the starch, the vegetables, everything is there. I had a friend in graduate school who had a tuna sandwich for dinner every night and he was reassuring his mom over the phone that he is eating balanced meals.

Here comes the sub! A favorite sandwich for growing boys. To be honest I cannot eat such a big sandwich and I never order it. Besides that, a colleague of mine, was bringing subs during working lunches, loaded with raw onions. That was enough to make them despise subs.

Here we have some of the favorite American meat sandwiches. They also come in big portions and sometimes unbelievable heights. But if you like deli meats they are great. A roast beef sandwich is great with a New York deli style pickle and natural meat juices (au jus) on the side for dipping.

A Philly Stake sandwich is one I grew to like very much. Usually served on a crusty Italian or French bread the Philly is made with grilled slices of sirloin beef and caramelized onions.

The pastrami sandwich tastes good on rye bread and it is a classical New York deli favorite. Carnegie Deli, one of the most famous delis in New York named its pastrami sandwich ” Woody Allen” after the actor used the premises for one of his movies.

A corned beef sandwich is best on a hard roll with mustard and a pickle.

A variety of corned beef is the Reuben sandwich where the meat is topped with sauerkraut. I love this sandwich.

A burger is loved by people all over the world. There are so many varieties as people. Everyone loves a good juicy burger when made to their specifications. And there so many ways to make it. So many condiments, toppings, temperatures, pick yours! For me it is Angus ground beef, medium, with only ripe tomato slices, blue cheese and two crispy bacon strips. Oh yes, you can add onions as long you can caramelize them! OK? Thank you!

Here comes one of my absolute favorites. Smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel. To that add some dill and capers and take me to heaven to dine with New York Angels. Bagels make great sandwiches, with just plain cream cheese or nowadays flavored cream cheese.

So cute and tasty the small delicate English tea sandwiches. With cucumber, or herbed butter, or salmon, or egg, one is never enough. You have to try them all. My favorite drink: Earl Grey (what else!)

The classic American lunchbox sandwich. Peanut butter and jelly. This was not a taste I grew up with, but I found myself having a bite from the sandwiches I was making for my kids who loved them. Once I tried to buy a gourmet peanut butter (my crazy ideas) and they figured it out immediately. It had to be the commercial kind. Nowadays peanut butter sandwiches are not offered at the school cafeterias anymore for the fear of allergic reaction to peanuts. In some schools the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is not permitted in the school premisses at all.

Last but not least sandwich cookies and sandwich ice creams. The one and only Oreo Cookie which as we all know, you first must separate, lick the cream inside and then eat the cookies. Any other way is considered to be at least unorthodox. I also love white cookies with lemon cream filling, again eaten as described above.

The smore is the favorite after barbeque cookie. Two fresh graham crackers with a piece of chocolate and a roasted marshmallow.

As for the ice cream sandwiches, the cookies above and below should be soaked and mushy. This is an absolute must!

There is no limitation in the imagination in the making of a sandwich. A pita pocket with kebob and tzatziki, a French baguette with brie cheese, oooops!!! a hot dog, a smørrebrød, a three story club sandwich, and the list goes on and on!

Wonderful and delicious article!!!!
I would like to contribute by adding my favourite sandwich. I ate it in Portugal, in a small resort near Lisboa, called Estoril. It is famous for its F1 circuit and the Casino Estoril, for the ones inclined to challenge their luck. I challenged my appetite by eating a grilled sardine sandwich. This is street food. The sardines are grilled on the spot. When you order, the sandwich maker takes two or three grilled sardines, places them in the sliced loaf so that the heads are sticking out, and with one swift move takes them out. This is repeated a few times, until the cavity of the load is full with steaming grilled sardine flesh. Then he adds sliced fresh onions and parsley, and a bit of lemon juice. Unbelievably delicious!!!!